1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to submersible pumps and, more particularly, to a locking device for securing the pump to guide wire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pump units designed to work entirely or partly immersed in liquid are inconvenient to maintain if the pump units are permanently installed. In order to make maintenance more consistent, it is known to arrange for the pump units to be lowered into the pumped medium guided along guides and, in their lowered position, bearing against a rigidly arranged outlet pipe for the pumped liquid. The connection of the pump unit must in this position close tightly against the outlet pipe without needing to be attached to it by screws or the like.
The guides are usually steel pipes or sometimes wires. In both cases the pump unit is provided with some sort of guide means which more or less entirely clasps the guide. The guide means must then be so formed that the pump unit is easy to disconnect from the guides after having been raised. At the same time there will be no risks allowed that the pump unit should be disconnected by mistake during lowering and raising operations.
These problems are solved relatively easy by guides made of rigid pipes; however, when the guides are wires, it has up to now been common to attach the guide means around the guide wires by screws. Thus, much time is wasted whenever the pump unit must be disconnected for service and it also presents a risk that the serviceman may forget to fully lock the pump to the guide wires before lowering the pump.